The Fair Hero
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: Ruth Finlay is the companion to the Tenth Doctor, has been for seven months, but one day they have to separate. The Doctor learns that someone is after Ruth and in order to keep her safe, he leaves her on a planet-a planet filled with magic, dragons, and mystery. A planet that is home to Alagaesia.
1. A Bitter Departure

**Author's Note- I am going to try to make this story as original as possible, and that means that the Tenth Doctor never met Rose, Martha, or Donna. I just want to start with the Tenth Doctor and his companion Ruth Finlay, my original character.**

**I will explain how they met later, but for now, just go with it. I am going to make references to episodes that had Rose, Martha, and Donna, but remember, in my story, it is just Ruth. **

**As far as the Inheritance Cycle, I have a pretty clever way of integrating the Doctor. Those who know the books very well might already have an idea of what I mean. If not, then you will find out. I am going to start at the beginning of Eragon and work my way through the series. Yes, that is four books, but I never said this was going to be a short story.**

**With that, my pacing might be fast. This story is intended for those who know Dr. Who and the Inheritance Cycle really well. I will do my best to explain the background information, but that is not always guaranteed. This story is set in Alagaesia, but I am not going to mention every detail of the story. If I make a jump, it's to progress the story. **

**And yes, the Doctor will be gone for a while, but as always, he comes back. ^^**

* * *

**The Fair Hero**

**Chapter 1**

_Rrar rrar rrar. _ The metallic siren sound of the TARDIS made Ruth Finlay crack a wide smile as she watched the Doctor run around the controls. Outside, the police box disappeared from the Earth travelling into the Time Vortex, a vast expanse of tubular multi-colored lights that zoomed past the ship at an unfathomable speed. In fact, it reminded her of the old Science Fiction shows she used to watch when she was a child where the spaceship would enter lightspeed causing the world around them to become a blur of color and light. The light whipped past the ship in long strips allowing the ship to reach its destination in a matter of minutes.

Ruth had no idea where the Doctor was taking her, but she was very excited, as always. She had been with the Doctor for seven months, though it felt much longer; travelling with the Doctor always felt like an endless journey. She knew her time with him would have to end, but until then, she relished every moment she had.

Her life before the Doctor was not dull by any means, yet it lacked a certain depth. She was lost in her life, working as a waitress and being constantly surrounded by her friends. They would go clubbing every Saturday and spend the rest of the week planning their next outing, a lifestyle that Ruth did not fully approve of, but lived nonetheless. She was young and life was short, and she wanted to live it to the fullest. Yet, during all that time, she had accomplished nothing. She worked almost every day during the week and partied on the weekends, and that was it; that was her life until the Doctor showed up and gave her something better, something to live for.

The siren was ceased by a constant whirring, an indication that the TARDIS was now inside the Time Vortex. "So, where are we going now?" Ruth asked as if on cue. On her last trip, The Doctor had taken her to a planet that was almost 100% water. It was called Sachiel, named after the mermaid-like creatures that inhabited the aquatic planet. Ruth had admitted that Sachiel was definitely on her Top 10 Favorite Planet list. She was always writing and making lists—helped her stay organized. Life in the TARDIS was confusing, so she had started to write things down to help her remember where she had been, terms and phrases the Doctor would use, and how long she had been away from her life on Earth.

"You'll see," the Doctor said in reply as he stopped running around the controls to remain in one fixed spot, navigating the TARDIS. His tone was forced as he tried to share her enthusiasm, but Ruth knew better; the Doctor was downhearted and his mood darkened hers, a feeling she despised.

"What's the matter?" She walked over to his side where she placed her warm hand upon his shoulder.

The Doctor tore his brown eyes off the control panel to look at Ruth. His eyes were soft and full of sadness, but his lips formed into a smile. "I'm taking you to the perfect place."

Ruth narrowed her eyes, unsatisfied with his answer. "What does that mean?"

"You'll see."

After several failed attempts to get him to talk, Ruth was forced to give up. The Time Lord was stubborn—too stubborn—and she knew he would not say another word until he was ready. Ruth found herself glued to his side, waiting patiently; the Doctor could not remain silent forever.

Ten minutes passed before the metallic siren sounded again, marking their landing. When the sound stopped, the Doctor motioned for his companion to look outside. "What's out there?" Ruth could be very stubborn as well, refusing to move until she got answers.

"The perfect planet." The Doctor avoided her gaze as she stared at him.

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning exactly what I said."

"How is that possible? Every planet has its flaws." Ruth had found that out the hard way, along with the Doctor. No planet was ever perfect.

The Doctor pressed a button on the control panel before responding. "Just take a look outside; only then will you begin to understand what I mean."

Ruth groaned at his brusque reply and gave up, walking towards the stairway that led to the door. When her hand was upon the latch, she turned her head to look at the Doctor who started to run around the ship as if looking for something. "Are you coming?" Her question was met with silence, so with a sigh, she finally exited the police box.

An endless array of trees entered her line of vision as a gentle breeze tickled her light brown skin, rustling her brunette curly hair that reached her shoulders. Ruth shivered; she was wearing a black T-shit with multi-colored lips printed upon the cotton and blue jeans. On her feet were athletic shoes, the only shoes a companion of the Doctor should wear given all the running they normally have to do.

The chirping of birds and the humming of insects made Ruth relax a little; sounds of life and serenity was always a good sign. Allowing herself a smile, Ruth walked up to the nearest tree to place her hand upon its rough bark. Growing up in London, she was not used to nature and now she was completely immersed in a vast wood. _It's so beautiful!_ Becoming a bit silly, she hugged the tree.

"Should I leave you and the tree alone?" Ruth yelped at the Doctor's sudden voice.

Pulling out of the embrace, she turned around to look at him. His demeanor was still melancholy, though, he sounded somewhat content. He was wearing his blue suit with a red tie making him look exceedingly handsome, especially with his heartening smile. The Doctor was an alien-a Time Lord more specifically—yet he had the appearance of a human man. She had to remind herself that he was not human, a task that became difficult at times.

"Very funny," Ruth replied, embarrassed. She was glad her skin was tanned to conceal the blush that danced upon her cheeks. "I am glad to see you have left your beloved TARDIS for the great outdoors. Care to join me on this adventure?" A sassy grin crossed her lips; she loved her comebacks.

The Doctor laughed slightly before composing himself. He had no time to succumb to her charm—he had a very important, and painful, task to complete and time was running out. "Not this time, Ruth."

Taken aback, she asked, "Then why are we here, Doctor?"

The Doctor sighed heavily and said, "I do not have much time to explain, so listen very carefully. I have to go away for a while and you cannot come with me. There—" Ruth tried to interrupt, but he placed his hand up to silence her. In her eyes and face he saw her confusion, fear, and sadness, an expression that he could relate to.

"There is…" Again, his sentence was cut off, this time by a loud beeping that came from the TARDIS. "Blimey!" He shouted into the air to vent his distress.

Ruth walked towards him until only about sixteen centimeters separated them and placed her hands upon his clean shaven cheeks. She made him look at her before she asked, "Doctor, please, tell me what is going on."

He took her hands off his face to hold them as she spoke in a hushed voice that held such conviction; every word he uttered was the truth. "Someone is after you and the only way I can keep you safe is by leaving you behind. I will come back for you, though, it might be a while. You will be safe here, that I can guarantee."

"Who is after me? Tell me, Doctor!" When his response was only a pained look, she took a small step back and asked, "Isn't there some other way? You can't just leave me here." Despite her will to stay strong, tears still fell from her eyes in defiance. His words were like poison, sickening her the more they sunk in.

"I can't tell you—spoilers." The last word was mentioned with a little pizzazz, but, after, he cleared his throat and began again, back to his former disposition. "I wish there was another way, but I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Ruth Finlay, this marks the end of our travels."

He let go of her hand and reached into his pocket taking out a vintage silver locket. It was oval shaped and had three roses with leaves carved into the bottom while a floral border encompassed the rest of its edges. Where the chain met with the locket, two shorter chains branched off. One chain had a translucent pink bead attached at the end and the other had the same bead followed by a small metal dove.

"Doctor, this necklace, it's stunning." That was all Ruth could say about the gift; all her other words and emotions were left unspoken, depicted by her visage.

"It's not just a necklace," he said, handing it to Ruth.

She carefully took the necklace and began to trace the design with her fingers. "What is it then?"

"I can't tell you that, but I can say this: only open this locket when the time is right, otherwise…" He trailed off as his meaning was understood by his friend and faithful companion.

"How will I know when the time is right?" She placed the necklace around her neck as she spoke.

"You will know, trust me. You still trust me, don't you?" Ruth nodded as the beeping sound began to accelerate, making the Doctor become almost frantic. "Time is almost up; I have to leave."

"Please, don't go." Ruth begged when the Doctor let go of her other hand to enter the police box.

"I have to. That annoying beeping sound is a timer, and once it stops, it will be too late. I have to leave now. Goodbye, Ruth Finlay. You really are brilliant; stay that way." Then, he began to close the door, but before he had the opportunity, Ruth flung herself at him for one last embrace.

"You had better come back," she whispered into his ear, kissing his cheek after. With all her strength, she let go of him and took a few steps back, giving him enough clearance to leave.

"I will come back for you Ruth. How could I ever forget you?" This time, his eyes seemed to be smiling, the last look she saw before the door closed, severing their connection. Less than a minute later, the TARDIS vanished.

Ruth stared at the empty location; she was all alone, a situation that frightened her more than anything. For seven months he had been her life, and now he was gone. Her mind tormented her with thoughts of the Doctor and their travels, the images vivid in her head, reeling around like she was watching some movie. Aliens, planets, spaceships, and her life in the TARDIS all came to her like a flood. Every fiber of her being longed to hear the metallic whirring of the wonderful blue box, the blue box that had changed her life forever, but was now as distant as a memory.

Ruth closed her eyes and listened. She heard the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves in the light breeze that still caressed her skin, and metallic whirring. A smile crossed her lips as she envisioned the ship reappearing before her. The sound became louder and louder, feeling more real by the second. When the sound had stopped with a slight thud, she decided to quit her silly thoughts and open her eyes to face the cruel reality.

There, standing a few feet in front of her was none other but the TARDIS. She jumped back when the door suddenly flew open to reveal the Doctor. "Sorry, I forgot to mention something very important: Do not under any circumstances tell anyone where you are really from, nor anything about me. Got that?"

Frozen with shock, Ruth simply nodded. Her reaction made the Doctor flash her a quick smile before he disappeared behind the door. Moments later, the TARDIS vanished for the second time leaving Ruth feeling entirely crushed. With the Doctors sudden reappearance, she had gained the slightest hope that he had come up with another plan, but he had torn that away as well. Feeling vulnerable, and very tired, Ruth lost her balance and fell to the ground where she violently sobbed into the dirt.


	2. Met With An Explosion

**Author's Note- I have altered the beginning of Eragon, but it is for a good reason. I hope that you enjoy my version!**

* * *

**The Fair Hero**

**Chapter 2**

The cold wind forced Ruth to stand up and walk around in an attempt to stay warm. She had been in the same place for several hours, hoping and praying for the Doctor to return, but to no avail. It was a silly endeavor, she knew that, yet she found it hard to leave the area. Where would she go anyways? As far as she knew, she had no idea where she was, nor the creatures that lived there. The Doctor said that she would be safe, so she had to believe that what he said was true despite her ill predicament.

_He has his reasons._ She concluded that in her mind as she finally observed her surroundings, looking at the tree she had hugged only hours ago. She closed her eyes to re-play her past merriment. The image sent a chill down her spine as she heard the Doctor's voice startle her. How she ached to hear that voice in real time instead of in her head. She opened her eyes and tore them away from the tree.

All around her were trees; trees that she realized were familiar to her. Taking a step towards another one, she examined the bark and the leaves that grew upon it. Ruth plucked off a leaf to look at the design more carefully. The leaf was long, at least six and a half centimeters, from stem to top, and branched off five times on each side. The leaf was not symmetrical and the edges were rounded, allowing her to narrow down her thoughts. Slowly, she came to a startling conclusion; the leaf looked a lot like a leaf from an oak tree! She looked up and saw a cluster of what looked to be acorns. She stared at them until she grew tired of gazing at the nuts.

Whether or not it really was an oak tree, Ruth knew there was something about the planet that held a striking resemblance to her own, planet Earth. Perhaps that was the reason the Doctor hid her there. Ruth tossed the leaf over her shoulder and continued to explore the woods around her. The sun, as best as she could tell, was starting to set, a sign that darkness would soon be upon her. At that moment, Ruth realized her precarious situation.

Not only was she alone in the woods on a strange planet, she also had no food, extra clothes, or shelter. The Doctor's words penetrated her mind once more. _I will be safe here?_ How could that be? The Doctor left her helpless! Her best chance of survival may have to be travelling, but to where? She had no idea where she was, so how could she know which direction to hike?

So many questions ran through her mind making her want to give up and cry once more. She had no idea what to do; all she wanted was the Doctor. Her request was ignored. Heaving a heavy sigh, Ruth made herself to think positive for once. Negativity would not help her situation, so she pushed those dark thoughts aside to make a plan of action. She carefully studied each direction until she almost had them memorized. By that time, the trees began to cast their shadows.

_The sunset!_ Ruth wanted to smack herself as another blatant form of familiarity registered inside her mind. The planet she was on had only one sun like Earth, and she wondered if it set in the west as well. She shook her head_. Silly girl. You are just looking for ways to make this planet sound like Earth for comfort._ Perhaps that was true, but who could blame her? She needed something to keep her going, to keep her sane.

Ruth finally decided to travel opposite the setting sun, or East if she were on Earth. Her next focus was food. If the planet really was a lot like Earth, then she might be able to find some edible plants, although she would not have any way of telling if the plant was actually edible or not. It would be more like guessing, a decision she would like to avoid. Left with no other option, Ruth left the small clearing to begin her adventure on the strange planet.

* * *

Eragon breathed into his hands and rubbed them together to keep them warm. The air had grown exceedingly cold as the night wore on, but he knew this was the best time to hunt. Dawn was only two hours away, so he had to hurry; he did not want to head home empty handed again. His family depended upon the meat that he brought home, especially with winter nearly upon them. Eragon picked up his rucksack that contained his meager supply of food and clothes. Then, he picked up his bow and arrows. He placed the rucksack upon his back first, followed by his pack of arrows. With his bow tightly held in his right hand, he ran deeper into the wilderness.

The Spine, a vast forest that neighbored his small village, held many wonders. Most of them were held with contempt, marking that forest as an evil place. Eragon felt different; he agreed that the wood was strange, but he did not think it was evil. The woods had its dangers like any other place and nothing stopped him from hunting within its trees. His family needed the food, and, he loved the solitude it provided. Since no one dared travel within the Spine, Eragon could go there to find some peace of mind.

With practiced grace, Eragon jogged through the trees at a steady pace knowing exactly where to find the best game. He was heading west, deeper into the Spine, where he knew a trickling brook carved its way through the winding trees. The perfect place to find animals—large animals. Five miles into his journey, Eragon stopped to drink from his canteen. No matter how athletic he was, he was still human and needed to rest and refresh himself every so often.

When his panting subsided, he wiped the sweat upon his brow and took off again. Two miles later, with the sun starting to cast its orange, yellow, and pink hues across the morning sky, Eragon reached his destination, a small clearing by the brook where he hoped to bring down a deer or a wild boar. Either animal would be able to give his family enough meat to survive the winter.

His family rarely ate meat, so one more animal would be enough. They would cut half the carcass into small strips and dry them, making a delicious beef jerky. The other half would be preserved and saved for soups and such. Already, they had a small supply of meat, and one larger animal would give them just enough to get by. Living on a farm had its advantages. With meat as a luxury, his family mainly lived off the fruits and vegetables they grew. A few chunks of meat added to an assortment of vegetables would make an excellent winter dinner.

Eragon's mouth watered at the idea of such a delicious, hot meal. _Hunt now, eat later!_ He shook his pleasant thoughts aside to focus on his mission. As usual, he positioned himself behind an exceptionally tall tree that had a trunk as thick as the length of his entire body, and Eragon was not that short standing at 180 centimeters. Taking off his rucksack, he hid it underneath a bush behind him, then, he took out an arrow, fitting it in the bow he carried, and waited.

All was still, the only real sounds coming from the singing of the birds and the running of the brook nearby. After about forty minutes had passed, the sun already spreading its rays across the land, Eragon heard the soft thuds of footsteps. Carefully peering around the tree he saw the young doe lower her head to drink the ice cold water. Taking slow, quiet, breaths, Eragon raised his bow to take aim at the beautiful animal.

If not for his determination to bring back meat, Eragon may not have decided to kill the doe. However, circumstances being as they may, he ignored the creatures' beauty and prepared to shoot. A snap of a twig in the distance made the deer alert as she stopped drinking to sniff the air. Sensing danger, she darted off just as Eragon released the arrow. He silently cursed when the arrow missed its target, the deer already gone.

A startled cry reached Eragon's ears seconds later. His face contorted into confusion when he concluded that the noise came from a woman. He was frustrated that the woman caused the deer to flee, but his main emotion was confusion sprinkled with concern. "Hello! Who's there?" His voice was hoarse from the lack of moisture, but his message was still clear enough to understand. Holding his breath, he waited for a response.

* * *

A shiver ran down Ruth's spine when she heard the voice of a male. Through sound alone she could not gather his race, but all she cared about was finding someone to help her. The man did not sound harsh, so she figured she should give him a chance. After all, she was fortunate to find him in the first place. Following his voice, she entered upon a small clearing. Through the wide gaps of the trees, the golden rays of the sun made the location shimmer, a sight that made Ruth want to smile, but her lips did not move.

She shifted her eyes around to gain a better sense of her surroundings only to notice a tall, young man standing by the largest tree in the area. She gasped, shocked to discover that he was human, or, at least he looked human. On his head he had a messy mop of medium length blond hair, appearing to be completely gold with the sun's glow and his eyes were a bright ocean blue, the kind of blue that had hints of grey flecks within them, but were gorgeous nonetheless. His lips were a pink thin line under his small rounded nose that were chapped at the moment, compliments of the dry cold weather. He was taller than her by several centimeters and he was lean, not skinny, just lean and fit for his height and age, an age that if she had to guess would be close to hers. Her eyes traveled back up to the man's face and lingered there once more.

After gazing at his facial features, she began to study his attire, causing her to feel out of place. The jacket he wore was a dark grey and looked as though it were made from the hide of an animal. Covering his legs was a pair of brown leather pants that looked worn and the boots he wore looked almost black from the mud and grime that caked them, but she could tell that they used to be brown as well. In his hand was a wooden bow, his case of arrows strewn across his back. The young man looked like a hunter all right, a sight that made Ruth become extra cautious.

Eragon was not frightened of the young woman, although she was very odd looking. Her skin was tanned, a shade of brown he had never seen on a person before, a color that complimented her auburn eyes. She had curly brunette hair that reached her shoulders that was quite frizzy at the moment, the defined curls creating a mane around her slight oval face. Taking a guess, she stood at about 165 centimeters, making her rather short compared to him. The woman was also a bit plump, though, he only figured that was due to lack of exercise; else she looked quite healthy and fit enough for her size. Eragon was not familiar with women, so he could not really criticize her body structure that harshly, especially since the woman was still very attractive.

What baffled him the most was not her skin color or body shape; rather, it was her clothing. The shirt she wore was pitch black and appeared to be made of a softer material than the clothes he was accustomed to. Tattooed upon the shirt were multi-colored lips of blue, yellow, orange, purple, pink, white, and silver; the lips were arranged in a 3x5 pattern across the black shirt. The pants she wore were a deep blue and were definitely made out of a material he had never seen before. Upon her feet were white shoes that had blue and silver stitching with a crisscross pattern. Everything about her outfit was alien, making him become uncomfortable despite the helplessness he sensed from her; it was obvious she was some sort of foreigner.

"Who are you?" He asked when the woman remained silent, as if waiting for him to speak first.

"My name is Ruth. What about you?" She was unsure what to tell the man, so she decided to stick with the basics. The Doctor never explained how much information she was allowed to reveal about herself, so she figured revealing her first name would not be too hazardous.

Eragon was pleased that she spoke the common tongue, a factor he had never thought about until that moment. "I'm Eragon."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," she said, allowing her lips to form a forced smile.

"Likewise, but what are you doing here?" Now that Eragon at least knew her name, he was interested to get right to the point. He gently placed his bow and arrows on the ground to give her a sign that he would not hurt her; he just wanted information.

Ruth stiffened when the man moved, relaxing a little when he was only putting his weapons on the grassy forest floor. "I am just traveling. Not sure where I am headed just yet, but I hope to figure that out soon enough." Her answer was the truth, watered down to become as vague as possible. Although Eragon looked and sounded like an honest man, she still did not know him that well. That's the problem, she needed help, but had no idea who to trust.

"What, on you own?" Eragon hated to discriminate, but he could not help it. He grew up in a world where women were held to lower standards than men; a world where women took care of the household and the children while the men worked to earn the wages. A world that the woman did not seem to belong to, but Eragon still held het to that standard. It's all he knew.

Ruth nodded in reply.

"Why? It's dangerous for one to travel alone, especially in these woods."

She scoffed, "You're one to talk." With her index finger, she pointed at him.

Eragon sighed, rolling his eyes. He never intended to sound like a hypocrite. "I mean that you are a woman, traveling alone. Where are you from anyways?"

Ruth's jaw dropped. She has never been addressed in such a sexist manner that the words left her speechless for several seconds. When she composed herself, she responded in a firm tone. "Listen, I don't know who you are, but never speak to me that way again. Got that?"

This time, Eragon became stunned. He managed to nod his head when no words formed on his tongue.

"Good," she said before continuing with, "Now, will you help me?" The man may have been a bit chauvinist, but she still needed to find some sort of town where she could live until the Doctor came to get her. That was the only plan that she could come up with, and she was sticking to it.

"How so?" Eragon shrugged.

"Is there a—"

Ruth was flung backward, her head and back hitting a tree, knocking her unconscious by the time she fell to the ground. Across from her, Eragon fared no better, save for the fact that he was not blacked out. His eyes stung as dust flew into them, making him squint to see. A blue glint caught his attention and it took him a moment to realize that the light was being reflected off a large, oval-shaped, sapphire stone.


End file.
